Chapter Forteen
Caleb
We’re at the venue for tonight’s gig, and I swear I couldn’t be more excited if I tried.
Indi is coming.
And tonight I’m performing in front of ten thousand people.
Ten. Thousand.
For our very first live performance, that’s fucking insane. The thought alone sends adrenaline ripping through my veins hard enough to make my hands shake.
I messaged Indi earlier to let her know I probably wouldn’t get the chance to see her before we went on stage, but promised I’d find her afterward no matter what.
She seemed okay with that, which, honestly, still shocks the hell out of me, considering two days ago I thought she never wanted to see me again.
We’re all setting up for soundcheck when I practically jog over to Annie, grinning like an idiot. I feel lighter than I have in years. “Holy shit, Annie,” I laugh excitedly. “Can you believe this?”
“Nah,” she says, looking around the massive stage area in awe. “This feels completely surreal.”
“You can say that again.” I shake my head while looking out across the empty venue seats that’ll soon be packed with screaming people.
“I’ve waited my whole life for this. I’m so glad you’re part of it with me.
Love you, cuz.” I pull her into a tight hug, and she laughs while hugging me back before we both realize her guitar is jammed awkwardly between us.
“Ow, okay, maybe hugging with instruments attached isn’t ideal.” Annie laughs as we pull apart.
I grin at her while holding her at arm’s length.
“You’re in a ridiculously good mood today.”
“Well, yeah,” I reply with a laugh. “Today’s fucking amazing, Annie. Tonight’s gonna be unreal.”
“Okay, guys,” Rob calls out from the side of the stage. “Let’s get this soundcheck underway.”
The parents head offstage toward the mosh pit area while we all move into our usual positions.
Me center stage.
Annie and Aston on my right.
Ella on my left.
Exactly how it should be.
Thankfully, everyone seems in a better mood today, even Annie and Aston. They’re still awkward around each other, but at least they’re not glaring daggers anymore.
Soundcheck goes perfectly. Every amp level is spot-on, every mic sounds clean, and by the end of it, I feel even more pumped than before.
Afterward, we head backstage so the first band of the night, Peripheral, can start setting up. I head straight to the green room and pull out my phone to message Indi. The crowd’s already pouring inside, so hopefully she’s arrived too.
Me: Hey, Indi, I’m backstage in the green room. Are you here yet?
I hit send and start bouncing my leg anxiously while waiting for a reply.
Please don’t change your mind.
A second later, my phone vibrates in my hand.
Indi: I’m here. This place is packed, Caleb. Are you nervous?
I bite my lip and nod to myself like she can somehow see me.
Me: Yeah, a little. But mostly excited. I feel like I’m about to burst out of my own skin.
I send it before leaning back in my chair, relaxing slightly now that I know she’s really here.
Fuck, I wish I could go out and see her.
But Dad already warned me not to leave backstage in case I get mobbed or lose track of time before our set.
My phone buzzes again.
Indi: I can imagine :) I’m right at the back, so you probably won’t see me from the stage, but I’m here and I’m excited to watch you perform. I know how long you’ve waited for this, and I’m happy I get to share it with you.
The smile stretching across my face probably makes me look insane, but I genuinely don’t care.
Indi is here.
And in a little while, I’ll be onstage singing directly to her.
Me: I wish I could come see you first. I have to stay backstage till our set, but you’ll stay afterward so we can talk, right?
I hit send and immediately start bouncing my knee again while waiting for her reply.
Indi: I’ll stay. Now stop texting me so I can watch Peripheral. These guys look so grungy. They seriously need shampoo.
I burst out laughing and shake my head.
There she is.
That’s the Indi I remember.
Funny, quirky, slightly savage for absolutely no reason.
Me: Good thing my hair is clean and glorious then ;)
I send it just as Chad walks into the room, raising an eyebrow at me. “You look disgustingly happy.”
“We’re about to perform for ten thousand people,” I reply. “Of course I’m fucking ecstatic.”
“Yeah, same.” Chad grins before flopping into a chair nearby. “This is gonna be epic. Poor Ella’s freaking out, though. She’s convinced she’s gonna walk on stage and completely forget how to play guitar.”
I laugh softly. “She’ll be fine once adrenaline kicks in.”
“Yeah,” Chad says, smiling absentmindedly. “She always gets in the zone eventually.”
I pause.
That smile.
Interesting.
“She’ll be okay,” I say slowly while watching him. “As long as Annie doesn’t randomly decide to freestyle another five-minute guitar solo.”
Chad snorts. “True.”
Right then, Ella walks into the room, and Chad’s face lights up so hard it’s honestly embarrassing.
Oh my God… he totally likes her.
Why haven’t I noticed before? But now that I am noticing it, it’s glaringly fucking obvious.
Ella walks straight past Chad without even looking at him and drops onto the couch beside me while completely absorbed in her cell.
“Ella, you okay?” I ask.
She finally looks up and nods quickly. “Yeah. Just starving.”
Then she immediately goes back to scrolling her cell phone.
I glance over at Chad again and nearly laugh at the way he’s staring at her like she personally invented oxygen.
Jesus Christ.
Two couples in this band are going to be a fucking nightmare.
We spend the next couple of hours hanging out backstage, messing about, while the other bands perform. I keep messaging Indi throughout the night, and apparently, she’s loving the other acts, but she keeps reminding me she’s most excited to see me perform.
Which absolutely does not help my ego problem.
Eventually, it’s finally our turn to get ready.
We head toward backstage, where everyone’s gathered, including all the parents. Honestly, I don’t mind them being here. It’s nice knowing they support us this much.
I glance around at the band before motioning everyone closer.
“Right, guys,” I call out. “Huddle in.”
“Good luck,” Colt shouts after us. “We’re proud of you.”
We move into our usual tight circle, and I take a deep breath while preparing to give the biggest pep talk of my life.
“Okay, guys, listen up.” I glance around the huddle, making sure I’ve got everyone’s attention.
“Stay focused out there and don’t get too caught up in how massive the crowd is.
Yeah, it’s a big audience, but at the end of the day, we just need to do what we always do.
Play like we’re back at the manor, and everything will be all Isle of Wight. ”
Ella bursts out laughing. “Did you just use Cockney slang?”
I grin proudly and nod. “Damn right I did.”
Everyone laughs, and the mood stays light, which is exactly what we need right now—no nerves, no pressure, just pure excitement.
“Okay, hands in.”
We all shove our right hands into the middle and shout our mantra together, then throw our fists into the air as the parents clap and laugh at our ridiculous ritual.
“Okay, Staked, we’re ready for you!” someone with a clipboard yells from backstage.
The second those words hit me, every nerve in my body gets swallowed by pure adrenaline. The roar of the crowd filters through the walls, vibrating through the backstage area like thunder.
Holy fuck.
This is real.
The others take off toward the stage entrance while I quickly pull out my cell and send Indi one last text.
Me: About to head on. This is unbelievable. The crowd’s so loud!
I hit send and look up just in time to see Annie, Ella, Aston, and Chad walk onto the stage. The crowd absolutely erupts, and I laugh under my breath as the sound crashes through me, making every inch of my body tingle.
My cell vibrates.
Indi: It’s amazing out here, Caleb. Good luck. But I know you won’t need it :)
I smile so hard my face hurts before sliding the phone into my back pocket. Rolling my neck slowly, I take a few deep breaths and hum under my breath while doing some last-minute vocal warm-ups.
The band starts playing the intro, and the music floods the venue.
I bounce on the balls of my feet, shaking my hands out while the excitement surges through me. I’m so hyped up, I feel like I could explode before I even make it on stage.
I glance back toward Dad, and he gives me a huge thumbs-up.
I nod once, jump in place again, then sprint up the stairs and onto the stage…
And the crowd loses their fucking minds.
The roar gets even louder as I throw my hands into the air, hyping them up while striding toward the microphone.
I glance at Annie, and she’s completely locked in already, guitar hanging low while she attacks the strings like she was born for this.
Ella looks a little green around the edges, but she’s holding it together surprisingly well.
Then I look out at the sea of faces waiting for me to entertain them for the next hour.
And fuck…
I honestly don’t think life could get any better than this.
Especially knowing Indi is somewhere out there watching me.
I grip the microphone and launch into the opening verse of “Don’t Mess With The Best.” My voice instantly takes on that deeper edge I haven’t heard in years.
I recognize it immediately.
That’s my Indi voice.
The sound I only ever have when she’s around—low, rough, sexier somehow. I can already see girls in the front row staring at me like they want to climb onto the stage and fuck me senseless, but there’s only one woman I care about performing for tonight.
The music surges through me harder and harder with every beat. This is one of my favorite songs. Annie and I wrote it together years ago, and it’s perfect for firing up the crowd.
My blood pumps so fast through my body, I feel almost dizzy beneath the heat of the stage lights. Sweat beads across my forehead while the music pours through my veins like fire.
This is what I live for.
Music doesn’t just make me feel alive.
It ignites me completely.